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“That sounds good,” my mother says, her tone a bit warmer than before. “Just make sure you’re back for dinner.”
“I will,” I promise, pushing my food around my plate. My father picks up his newspaper again, his fingers smoothing the pages as if nothing happened. Dimitri tries to engage our mother in small talk, but the tension remains.
As soon as I can, I excuse myself from the table and retreat to my studio, seeking solace in my work. The familiar smells of plants and flowers are comforting, and I lose myself in the creative process, trying to forget the storm brewing outside these walls.
9
FIANCÉ
An hour earlier
Iwatch my soon-to-be fiancée step out of the G-Wagon and my annoyance intensifies.
Every time I think of what I saw last night, my chest tightens in frustration. There’s too much on the line for this not to go my way. She will not fuck this up for me.
I followed Aria to Academia, wanting to get a closer look at her life and the people she hangs around. We’re not technically engaged yet, but the arrangement I made with her father is of utmost importance.
I blended into the club’s crowd with ease, keeping a close eye on her.
At the beginning, there was nothing out of the ordinary. She drank, danced, and declined advances from every guy that dared to approach her.
But then, he appeared.
Their exchange didn’t raise any alarms—at first. But as soon as she slid into the seat next to him, I sensed the tension radiating from her body. She was affected by him, that much was clear. And I needed to know why. Do they have history? Is there a boyfriend Philip didn’t tell me about?
I watched as she fiddled with her dress, evidently nervous. As he whispered in her ear with an air of cockiness. Their connection was obvious.
Even though I have no say in who she interacts with—yet—I wanted to punch him in the face for touching her.
When the club was abruptly shut down, I left to avoid suspicion. I stayed in my car, waiting for her to emerge. People trickled out, but Aria never appeared. Minutes ticked by and turned into hours. Did I miss her leaving? There’s no way.
I resisted the urge to burst through the doors to see what she was up to. I had a gnawing feeling that she was still with him.
My virgin wife-to-be was inside a club with another man. My fists clench at my sides. Her virginity is fucking mine to take. It’s owed to me.
When she finally appeared, she looked sober, content—too content.
Poutána.
It was a risk to follow them, but one I had to take. I had to get to the bottom of their relationship.
I kept a close eye on them as we wound through the quiet streets of Cebrene.
When we ventured deeper into an unfamiliar neighborhood, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of apprehension. This wasn’t a part of town I knew well.
Tension gripped my jaw as I watched them disappear into a house together. It wasn’t because of jealousy or anger, but rather inconvenience. Another guy to deal with, another situation to navigate until I get what I want. I felt frustrated at the thought of having to address a potential rival for her attention. That’s not what I signed up for.
I sat outside in my car for an hour, my patience wearing thin.
With a heavy sigh, I gave up and pulled away, vowing to return in the morning, determined to find out if she’d stayed the night.
The next day, I drove by the house again. It looked empty, shutters closed and no sign of life. As I started to head back to the Kastellanos estate, my phone rang, jolting me from my thoughts. It was one of Philip’s guards.
“Yes?”
“Mr. Galanis,” the guard’s voice crackled through the line. “I wanted to let you know that Miss Aria made it home.”
“Thanks,” I replied, already halfway to her place.
